Tag: yorkshire wedding

The story of Sophie & Richard’s wedding is one of a relaxed, personal and intimate day with friends and family in the incredible and historic surroundings of Dean Clough Mills in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

The beauty of the weddings we surround ourselves with at Mode for… is that they are all completely unique and reflect the character and personalities of our couples. That’s why I get so excited about every wedding.

April 2018 offered us two amazing Saturdays weather wise and we were lucky enough to have weddings booked on both days.

Saturday 14th April 2018 was the wedding of Sophie & Richard at The Arches @ Dean Clough; one of my all-time favourite venues and where we are fortunate enough to be the exclusive wedding coordinators too.

Sophie and Richard are a fabulous couple and this was to be an intimate ceremony for 23 people followed by a reception for 60. With the couple not living locally and actually based in London (this is increasingly the case with our couples now) most of the planning was done from afar and I was delighted when Sophie also asked me to do all the styling and flowers. Simple and pretty was the brief and blush pinks and whites with lots of greenery the colour palette of the day.

Whilst the sun shone through the amazing large windows of the mill, the ceremony was beautiful and intimate in equal measures before the drinks started flowing, incredible food from the wonderful in-house caterers Eat Me – Drink Me and an evening of Beer Pong Championships prior to dancing into the night.

Now, it’s not unusual for you to hear me say I love a DIY wedding and events venue and I spend a lot of time researching great places where you can host your absolutely perfect, intimate and unique wedding or event without blowing your budget on grand facilities and gardens that you may never use.

I’m also a huge fan of the ‘dry hire’ venue because, to be quite frank, I don’t like being told what to do and which suppliers to use. I like the personal touch, creating a unique event with facilities that allow me to use the suppliers I love to work with or to be able to do things myself.

I don’t like to be told what menu I have to select from that only has 3 options and I definitely don’t like ridiculous bar prices for my friends to pay, so a menu of my favourite food and a free or realistically priced bar is a huge incentive for me to book a venue.

This was definitely the driving force and the brief in hunting for our own wedding venue in 2015 and when hunting for venues for our own series of The MF Tasting Notes events in the last few months; I want blank spaces that would have a great feel about them, that I could personalise for the style of event, that I have complete freedom for food choices and no ridiculous bar or corkage charges.

I’ll be honest, that brief is not as easy as it may sound; these venues are tricky to find and they usually come on recommendation or luck! But I’m going to make it easy for you and give you my Top Three DIY wedding and events venues and save you some of the leg work in research.

These three venues, which are in no particular order because actually I love them all, are on point for creating a fabulous unique wedding or event. They have fabulous owners and staff and really give you the opportunity to let your creativity run wild and bring your wedding and event in on a sensible budget.

Still not sold on the whole DIY element of doing everything yourself? Don’t panic. We’ve got you covered. With services from planning to coordination, styling to catering, here at Mode for…Events we can arrange your whole wedding or event for you and take all the strain off you and you’ll still get that unique and personal style whilst sticking to a sensible budget. We take time to really get to know you and your family so we totally deliver your dreams.

Recent DIY bride Laura Stroud had this to say after her wedding in October at Parwich Memorial Hall: “We are so grateful for everything you did for us. It felt like you were part of our family. We had the most perfect of days and we will always be so thankful that you made everything run so smoothly and you even smiled the whole day with us when we know you must have been exhausted! I know I said it on Saturday, but I knew as soon as we met I could trust you with our wedding ❤️. I’m not sure many people could handle my OCD planning like you did!”

We actually supplied planning support, coordination, catering, floral bouquets and ran the bar for the wedding of Laura and Graham at Parwich Memorial Hall and we loved every minute. The hall itself is one of the best equipped and most beautiful halls we’ve had the pleasure to work in. It was so easy to deliver a perfect event there and we can’t recommend it enough. We’re also dying to go back and do another wedding or event there now we’ve found it, not just for the hall itself but the beautfully amazing village it’s in. Definitely a perfect location.

Hargate Hall obviously holds a special place in our hearts as it’s where Simon and I got married in 2016 but with around 17 weddings undertaken there now in the last two years, supplying planning, coordination, catering, floristry and styling we are always wowed at how every wedding is different and would recommend this venue to everyone that wants somewhere that everyone can come and stay and have a great big party in your ‘own home’ for the weekend and we know just how to make it work for every style of event.

Recent bride Tiffany Chevis said: “Thank you so much for all your hard work. It was the perfect day and we couldn’t have done it without you.”

East Keswick Village Hall is a very special venue and a real gem in the crown of village halls. With lovely people helping to run the hall, a fabulous space that really can be styled from rustic to luxury and a fabulously beautiful location it offers a wonderful opportunity for your wedding and events. With great facilities for you and your suppliers, this hall is a perfect choice and again it’s getting us a little bit excited as it’s also our venue of choice for our own ‘A Little Gin and Jazz’ and ‘Wines of the Wars’ events in January and March 2018. So, if you want to check it out, come and party with us at these events and see how amazing it is for yourself!

So there’s our Mode for… Events Top Three DIY wedding and events venues. Go check them out now and drop me a message with any DIY wedding or events questions you have. Or, got Amazon and check out my Guide to DIY Weddings here!

At Mode for… Events one of our most frequently spoken top tips has always been “Don’t plan your wedding day around the weather.” The weather should always act as the icing on the cake of a wedding, it should never be dependant on the sun shining gloriously or a crisp layer of white snow creating a picture-perfect image!

At Mode for… Events one of our most frequently spoken top tips has always been “Don’t plan your wedding day around the weather.” The weather should always act as the icing on the cake of a wedding, it should never be dependant on the sun shining gloriously or a crisp layer of white snow creating a picture-perfect image!

However, it can often feel serendipitous when the perfect weather for the style of the event happens to occur…

On the 26th May we opened the doors to The Arches for the wedding of Erin and Jordan and raised a glass to both their marriage and to the hottest and most beautiful day of the year so far! With the theme of the wedding being set as ‘tropical and brightly coloured,’ it was an easy brief to meet with regards to beautiful florals and greenery. Mode for…Event’s own styling featured a mixture of splendidly colourful flowers including sweet Williams complimented by vivid greenery such as ivy, eucalyptus and a sprinkling of moss. As an out of the ordinary tropical touch the banqueting tables also featured gold sea creatures lovingly hand decorated by the groom. As temperatures soared to a balmy 27 degrees, you could definitely forgive guests for briefly confusing Yorkshire with the tropics while sat in our courtyard catching the sun and sipping ice cold drinks!

Tabby was in her element creating beautiful arrangements with the most vivid of flowers. As a request from Erin she used striking Ranunculus with a threaded finish for the bridal party’s buttonholes, with the addition of a variety of Lego pieces for the children’s buttonholes. The Lego pieces added a fantastically fun element to the buttonholes and allowed the suited and booted toddlers to have a bit of fun!

Erin and Jordan had aimed to have a fun and relaxed day to mimic both their character and their relationship. We think it’s fair to say that all involved would agree that they by far exceeded their initial brief, and blew their guests away with the additional detail they went into to assure all guests had an amazing day. From glitter face painting supplied by ‘Wish Upon a Sparkle’, to fantastic live music supplied by ‘Bare Brass Band,’ from flamingo topped naked cakes supplied by ‘Sweet Sugar Sixpence’ to our favourite VW camper van photobooth, Herman, supplied by ‘The Volkswagen Wedding Co.’ guests were entertained at every stage throughout the day! Plus, two ‘Arches firsts’ as we even welcomed a dance troop (featuring Erin’s Aunty) who kicked started the party in excellent fashion and a doggy ring bearer called Jack (the family’ Border Terrier) who also acted as Chief Videographer with a Go-Pro camera strapped to him (and he did an awesome job!).

Here’s to Erin and Jordan – may their marriage be as fun as their wedding, always entertaining, and with plenty of sunshine!

For me, an empty space is a bit like a playground. The only thing an empty space can be limited by is a lack of imagination. However, not everyone has the ability to look at an empty space and realise that the possibilities are endless, and that with a little hard work and TLC you can create anything you want!

Working as the in-house coordinators at The Arches @ Dean Clough, myself and Tabby often have the privilege of watching a couple fall in love with the venue, and when we saw this moment with Brooke and Arron (who married in April), we also witness their minds beginning to race with ideas on how they could use the ample space and beautiful industrial backdrop The Arches offers to create the vision they had for their wedding day.

You could tell that throughout Brooke and Arron’s planning they were thinking of how they could create a wedding like no other their guests had attended. There was nothing that this beautiful couple hadn’t thought of – the detail they went into was superb, and their guests LOVED it! I think the most touching of their decorative features was the ‘Stairway to Heaven’, which featured images of loved ones who were no longer with them. I think it’s safe to say they’ll have made everyone watching very proud that day!

However, for those of you who know the Mode for…Events Team, you’ll know that the key to our hearts is always food! They kept their wedding both fun and on trend with special features such as the increasingly popular ‘donut wall’ and the timeless cheese board as a late night snack. Not to mention the beautiful menu for the day created by our in house catering team, consisting of: Chicken Liver Paté served with Rustic Bread and Spiced Apple Chutney, slow cooked Featherblade of Beef with Mashed Potato and a delicious Glazed Lemon Tart with Clotted Cream and Summer Berries.

Alongside Herman the Volkswagen campervan photo booth (from The Volkswagen Wedding Co), Arron and Brooke also created their own photobooth using beautifully painted door frames and a basket filled to the brim with props!

With well over 150 candles featuring in the décor for the day, the venue really came alive as the sun went down and the guests lined the dancefloor with sparklers, perfectly framing Brooke and Arron’s first dance to The Courteeners “Take Over The World”.

From both myself and Tabby, along with the team at The Arches, we’d like to say a massive congratulations to Brooke and Arron. It was an honour to have been involved in their wedding and we’re so happy that they’re now beginning married life together!

The sun shone beautifully in early April and it was out to stay for the wedding of Anna and Mark at Hargate Hall on 8th April. What more could you need for a festival inspired wedding in the middle of the Peak District for the most fantastic couple and their party loving friends?

But this was a wedding with a difference as Anna and Mark had legally married two years before in Gretna Green when the couple discovered they were pregnant with their super awesome son Zeph; so this was the party to end all parties which they had always planned….and my, what a party it was!

It was late 2016 when Anna & Mark contacted us at Mode for…Events as a recommended catering and coordination supplier at our favourite Hargate Hall and they came to visit us at home for a meal and chat through all things ‘Hargate Weddings.’ It was so great to get to know Anna and Mark and little Zeph (who is the most amazing little guy!) and soon we were on hand to not only supply some fabulous food, but to also help plan and coordinate the whole wedding, including design, styling and all the floristry, with bouquets, buttonholes and much more.

Anna wanted lots of colour and fun to be evident and with a brief of colourful lantern canopied ceilings and festoon lights, Tabby got to work planning the big event. There was colour everywhere with giant paper lantern instalments in the marquee with ‘floating bottles’ with single stems of blooms and the tables were filled with different bottles and vases of Spring blooms.

In the main house, we created a canopied ceiling of paper lanterns (all with individual LED bulbs) and festoon lights and hanging coloured bottles up the staircase with Spring blooms and fireplace was trimmed with a range of different brightly coloured flowers.

The bridal and bridesmaid bouquets reflected the fun, relaxed, colourful nature of the day but also worked well with the pastel pink hue of the bridesmaid dresses. In terms of fashion, the whole bridal party looked immaculate and full of style and grace, Mark complete with his feather adorned top hat and son Zeph looked like the most handsome trendy little guy and a heartbreaker!

As Anna and Mark were already legally married, the ceremony was a truly personal event led by ‘Uncle Bill’ complete with his anvil in a nod to the Gretna Green tradition. The ceremony was full of love, laughter and fun before guests emerged into the sunshine for drinks, canapés and photos with photographer Steven Rooney Photography (plus his wife created an awesome photobooth in the evening! What a super talented couple).

Next it was time to head along the lantern lined path to the marquee for speeches and a relaxed meal of Antipasti sharing boards and Red Pepper Pesto stuffed Chicken with Dauphinoise Potatoes and green beans. The weather was so fabulous it seemed a shame to stay indoors so we then served dessert on the terrace in the sunshine with sharing boards of lemon and chocolate tarts. Every crumb of food went…it was a triumph!

With hot tubs and slip and slides there was plenty to keep people occupied but these guests were all party goers, so with the biggest festival ready sound system you’ve ever seen at Hargate, it was time to party, party, party….in fact, when Simon and I returned at 9am the next day to pack-up, guests were still partying! Oh, what a night!! There night time fun was accompanied by some simple perfect grazing food of pork pie cake, pies and a cheese tower.

Our on-the-day team

This was such a fun wedding party and we have loved every minute of working with Anna, Mark and Zeph and so proud of everything we created from planning to coordination, food and styling, plus some lovely flowery fun. Congratulations Mr & Mrs & Master Sekree from all of us at Mode for…Events.

Elegant, relaxed, full of personal touches, and most importantly, fun! Sounds like a winning combo for a wedding doesn’t it?

Last month Rosie and Dan McKay made their vows in front of family and friends at The Arches @ Dean Clough, and our Mode for… Events ladies were on hand to help every step of the way. From the very beginning Rosie and Dan wanted a relaxed wedding with the main focus on their loved ones having a great time (and all the food and wine this foodie couple could muster!).

Rosie & Dan. Photo by Caitlin + Jones

Having embraced the raw beauty of The Arches’ exposed brickwork and industrial style, they were keen to keep styling simple yet elegant, and as chief stylist for this wedding, Tabby didn’t disappoint. Utilising a natural and earthy tone, Tabby used eucalyptus intertwined with pops of blush and burgundy roses to compliment both the venue and the beautiful theme of the day.

When it comes to personal touches Rosie and Dan’s wedding could never be accused of lacking! From the beautiful white and copper wedding cake baked and decorated lovingly by the Mother of the Bride, to the name cards hand written by a close friend, and the birthday balloons tied to the chairs of two friends celebrating their birthday on Rosie and Dan’s big day. It was abundantly clear that Rosie and Dan were surrounded by friends and family who were more than willing to lend a helping hand, and who couldn’t wait to celebrate their day with them.

As principal coordinator for the day Abi was on hand to make sure everything ran as smoothly as possible, and thankfully from the moment the confetti was thrown – to the sparklers being lit to celebrate the first dance, it was plain sailing.

Rosie & Dan with the Mode for…Events girls Tabby & Abi

Congratulations Rosie and Dan! As wedding planners and coordinators it’s always a sad moment when we realise we’ll no longer be working together, but we’re so honoured to have been a part of your day and we wish you all the luck in the world as you begin married life together.

Super excited to have been asked to write an article as part of the And so to Wed (The Cafe – And so to Business) business takeover week and I think this is valuable advice for anyone trying to juggle their time, especially those with their own business. It’s completely based on my own experiences and the continual work/life balance journey Simon and I are on;

We adore our weddings at Hargate Hall in Wormhill, Buxton. We’ll be honest, it is one of our favourite venues, but then again we are a little biased as we got married there ourselves in April 2016. (We really should share some of our own pics on the blog shouldn’t we?)

We’ve had some great weddings there this Summer but last week we got some official images from the wedding of Nadya and Dave Murray, taken by the super talented Cassandra Lane.

At Hargate Hall we supply everything from coordination to full catering and at this wedding we supplied the lot, plus nailed the art of hanging floating branches! We had our ‘A’ team on the job with Tabby, Simon, Abi and Elizabeth and it was a great day. What an awesome family and guests. We also had some additional help from the next door neighbours’ cat! He’s a cutie, if not a naughty boy breaking in to the marquee at every opportunity for some guest attention.

Enjoy these selected images from Cassandra. They’re awesome.

We can’t wait to be at Hargate Hall next year for lots of weddings, plus we’ll be there in December for a wedding and a corporate event and back in February to meet lots of wonderful people.